U.S. patent application number 14/383271 was filed with the patent office on 2015-01-22 for device with rotary valve for the manipulation of liquids.
This patent application is currently assigned to MICROFLUIDIC CHIPSHOP GmbH. The applicant listed for this patent is MICROFLUIDIC CHIPSHOP GmbH. Invention is credited to Heiko Bottcher, Claudia Gartner, Richard Klemm.
Application Number | 20150020904 14/383271 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47997380 |
Filed Date | 2015-01-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150020904 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gartner; Claudia ; et
al. |
January 22, 2015 |
DEVICE WITH ROTARY VALVE FOR THE MANIPULATION OF LIQUIDS
Abstract
The present invention describes a device consisting of a rotor,
a holding-down device, and a base plate. The base plate is normally
a fluidic system, a planar fluidic system for example or a fluidic
system with several fluidic ports for a directed guidance of
liquids or gases through different channels, channel systems,
cavities or tubing, for the combination liquid and gas streams, or
for prevention of liquid flows.
Inventors: |
Gartner; Claudia; (Jena,
DE) ; Bottcher; Heiko; (Zollnitz bei Jena, DE)
; Klemm; Richard; (Kahla, DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
MICROFLUIDIC CHIPSHOP GmbH |
Jena |
|
DE |
|
|
Assignee: |
MICROFLUIDIC CHIPSHOP GmbH
Jena
DE
|
Family ID: |
47997380 |
Appl. No.: |
14/383271 |
Filed: |
March 11, 2013 |
PCT Filed: |
March 11, 2013 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2013/054903 |
371 Date: |
September 5, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
137/625.46 ;
251/157 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16K 11/085 20130101;
F16K 99/00 20130101; B01L 2400/0644 20130101; B01L 2400/0622
20130101; F16K 99/0013 20130101; F16K 2099/0084 20130101; B01L
3/502738 20130101; F16K 31/60 20130101; Y10T 137/86863 20150401;
F16K 5/04 20130101; F16K 99/0028 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
137/625.46 ;
251/157 |
International
Class: |
F16K 99/00 20060101
F16K099/00; F16K 5/04 20060101 F16K005/04; F16K 31/60 20060101
F16K031/60; F16K 11/085 20060101 F16K011/085 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 10, 2012 |
DE |
10 2012 005 270.7 |
Claims
1. A system consisting of a rotor located inside of a holding-down
device, said rotor will be being pressed onto a base plate by a by
the holding-down device, wherein the base plate possesses openings
from one or more channels, which open out into fluidic structures
of the rotor mounted on the base plate, in order to guarantee a
directed flow of liquids or gases in different channels, channel
systems, cavities, or tubing, to facilitate their coupling or to
inhibit any flow of liquids or gases.
2. The system of 1, in which the base plate is a fluidic or
microfluidic system and the holding-down device is formed like a
cap and presses the rotor tightly onto the counter structure of the
base plate.
3. The system of claim 1, in which the rotor is mounted between to
plates, which press him with sufficiently high initial tensions
against the counter structure of one plate resulting in a
microfluidic system with several layers.
4. The system of claim 1, in which the rotor is mounted between to
plates, which press him with sufficiently high initial tensions
against the counter structure of one plate resulting in a
microfluidic system with several layers and resulting in a rotor
with through holes or slits, and, as a consequence, giving rise to
a system, where openings from channels of the lower plate can be
connected with openings from channels of the upper plate via the
rotor.
5. The system of claim 3 in which at least one additional
structured plate is added resulting in a system with multiple
layers, in which several rotors can be integrated at different
locations and positions.
6. The system of claim 1 in which the rotor consists of more than
one material, at which the side facing to the base plate with the
openings that itself contains fluidic structures, takes over the
sealing function and preferentially consists of a good sealing
material displaying ideally a low slip effect.
7. The system of claim 1 in which the rotation is not possible for
more than 360.degree. mediated by one or more domes on the upper
side of the rotor together with an appropriate counter
structure--either in the cap or the upper plate pressing down the
rotor--or, alternatively, by one or several domes on the bottom
side of the rotor together with an appropriate counter structure in
the base plate both giving rise to a tight arrestor, which allows
for a simple determination of the precise position of the rotor
and, as a result, an accurate positioning.
8. The system of claim 1 in which the rotation is not possible for
more than 360.degree. mediated by one or several domes in the cap
or upper plate pressing down the rotor together with an appropriate
counter structure in the rotor or, alternatively, by one or more
domes on the base plate together with an appropriate counter
structure in the rotor both giving rise to a tight arrestor, which
allows for a simple determination of the precise position of the
rotor and, as a result, an accurate positioning.
9. The system of claim 1 in which the holding-down device is
screwed onto the base plate with the help of the thread and, thus,
supplies the required contact pressure for the rotor.
10. The system of claim 1 in which the holding-down device is
pressed down on the base plate with the help of mechanical support
structures on the base plate and/or at the holding-down device and,
thus, provides the required contact pressure for the rotor.
11. The system of claim 1 in which the holding-down device is
anchored in the base plate with the help of domes.
12. The system of claim 1 in which the holding-down device is fixed
on the base plate by relevant joining methods such as adhesive
bonding, welding, or pressing and, thus, provides the required
contact pressure for the rotor.
13. The system of claim 1 in which the cap or upper plate possess
directly integrated spring elements that can enhance the contact
pressure for the rotor.
14. The system of claim 1 in which an additional spring enhancing
the contact pressure for the rotor is implemented in the cap or
upper plate.
15. The system of claim 1 in which the holding-down device carries
a dome or longer extension, which allows for a manual
operation.
16. The system of claim 1 which holds marks on rotor, holding-down
device and/or base plate facilitating a simple visual monitoring of
the exact position of the rotor and, thus, of the structures
located inside the rotor and, thus, of the switching positions of
fluidic channels.
17. The system of claim 1 which contains more than one rotor and
more than one holding-down device on the base plate or, as the case
may be, more than one rotor in a fluidic element with multiple
levels.
18. The system of claim 1 which contains liquid and/or solid
substances in the structures or the material of the rotor and/or in
the structures and/or in the material of the base plate.
19. An application of the system of claim 1 in which the system,
for example in form of a microfluidic system with integrated rotors
and holding-down devices, is implemented in an operating device,
where the device controls the actuation of the rotor by actuators
for rotary valves, for instance in form of positioning motors with
a ratchet for the insertion into the rotor, and, if necessary, can
adjust and/or read out the accurate positioning of the rotor.
Description
STATE OF THE TECHNOLOGY
[0001] It is the task of planar fluidic systems, e.g. so-called
lab-on-a-chip or microfluidic systems, to move liquids through
different cavities, channels or other fluid-containing elements
such as tubing in a directed manner, to prevent a flow of liquids,
or to separate compartments, respectively.
[0002] To cope with this task, turning valves were integrated into
so-called lab-on-a-chip systems. Hereto various approaches have
been proposed. One embodiment shows rotors with fluidic structures
which can be pressed down by a spring being part of a housing that
is screwed onto the chip. This approach aims at leak tightness
(Gartner et al: SmartHEALTH: a microfluidic multisensor platform
for POC cancer diagnostics, Proc. SPIE 7313, 73130B, Orlando,
(2009)). On the other hand, reports exist, where the rotor is
inserted into the chip and the valve is pressed down by the
controlling instrument for the lab-on-a-chip system after its
insertion into the instrument. This leads to a fluidically tight
sealing (DE 10 2009 027 352 A1).
[0003] These concepts for turning valves borrow the principle of
liquid guidance from valves of the company Rheodyne for
chromatographic applications (U.S. Pat. No. 4,068,528, date of
patent application: 13 Apr. 1976). Here, moveable elements with
slits are utilized for the control and metering of liquids. It is a
standard component for numerous chromatographic applications.
[0004] The goals for valves in fluidic systems such as microfluidic
systems are two-fold. On one hand the tightness of the valve being
part of the entirely produced chip has to be guaranteed in order to
allow for a pre-filling of the system prior to insertion of the
chip into the control device. On the other hand, most of the
fluidic systems, especially microfluidic systems for diagnostics,
are used as disposables being used in price-sensitive markets
leading to the need to keep the costs of goods as low as
possible.
[0005] Due to their basic design, the valves of the company
Rheodyne and succeeding products cannot be integrated into planar
fluidic systems. The slit elements used are inserted into housings
which generate a compression sealing using the applied system
pressures. In addition, the systems cannot be produced in a
cost-saving manner and are thus positioned in a high-priced
non-disposable market segment.
[0006] The option to seal the rotor after insertion of the
disposable microfluidic system into the controlling device by
pressure admission cannot be realized in practice as requirements
for a flexible application such as filling with reagents outside of
the controlling instrument cannot be met. In case of the invention
described by patent DE 10 2009 027 352 A1, the rotor element is
placed within a jacket. This technical solution is faced with
contradicting requirements. To ensure leak-free operation, the
rotor has to sit tightly in the jacket, however for its actuation,
it has to rotate smoothly without any tilting at low actuation
forces. These arguments speak against a broad application of said
invention and describe its shortcomings.
[0007] In relation to functional aspects, turning valves consisting
of rotor, screws, housing, and springs offer an option to guarantee
the tightness of valves and the fluidic system directly after the
production of the fluidic system. Due to the cost of goods,
however, this concept fails. The number of individual parts, which
have to be realized, is too high, representing already a
considerable cost factor and give rise to a complex assembly
process unsuitable for a disposable device.
DESCRIPTION
[0008] The present invention describes a turning valve consisting
of a rotor, a holding-down component, and a structured base plate,
in order to preferentially guide as well as to meter liquids or
gases through planar fluidic systems or to interrupt liquid flows
in a controlled manner. The base plate represents in most
embodiments the fluidic system in which the fluids will be
manipulated.
[0009] An exemplary setting is a fluidic system such as a
lab-on-a-chip system, onto which the rotor is placed and pressed
onto the fluidic system by the holding-down component, as outlined
in FIG. 1. In the case of this embodiment, the base plate (1) is
concurrently the fluidic system. In this embodiment said base plate
contains channel or chamber structures to guide fluids. These
structures are fluidically connected to the bottom side of the
rotor (3) via junctions at the contact area of the base plate. In
addition, the bottom side of the rotor itself carries fluidic
structures (20), which can be used for a targeted connection of the
different junctions on the base plate to the rotor. The contact
area (32) between rotor and base plate acting as a seat for the
rotor holds the fluidic contacts of the base plate. This is
highlighted in FIG. 17 in a cross section of an embodiment of the
holding-down device.
[0010] The fluidic structures of the rotor are able to connect as
well as disconnect channels and cavities inside the base plate,
which have fluidic contact to the rotor via junctions in the
contact area. The holding-down device (2) will be tightly connected
to the fluidic system--in a way that an initial hold-down force
will be applied on the rotor by this holding-down device. This
results in a permanent tightness of the valve. In the shown
example, the structures (20) inside the bottom side of the rotor
interconnect the fluidic structures of the base plate in order to
selectively interconnect channel ends and to selectively charge or
discharge liquids.
[0011] FIG. 2 depicts exemplarily how a counterpart subsequently
labelled as "actuator" of the turning valve (5), which can be a
simple tool being manually operated or a component of the
controlling device, couples to the rotor through an opening (5) of
the holding-down device, which is supplied by a cap in this case,
and facilitates a motion of the rotor (3).
[0012] An additional embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG.
3. Here, two plates (7) are interconnected and the rotor is
realized as a thin valve disc (8) being embedded between the
plates, which also provide for the required initial clamping force.
Both plates act as a fluidic system and can contact each other
fluidically. The figure exemplifies how the channel structures of
one fluidic system (28) are connected with the fluidic structures
of the second plate (30) through openings (28). In this case, the
openings are represented by through-holes shaped fluidic structures
(29) of the rotor that are in contact to openings (30) of the
second plate, which also end in fluidic structures such as channels
(4).
[0013] FIG. 4 provides an additional embodiment of the invention.
Here, more than two plates (7) generate a fluidic system. The
disc-shaped rotors of the valve can be embedded on different
levels.
[0014] FIG. 5 illustrates a variant, where a rotor (3) and a
holding-down device (2) are placed on a base plate. Tubing (9),
capillaries or similar fluid-carrying elements can be connected to
other components with this tool. This embodiment displays fluid
interfaces of the base plate (31) which can be used for the
connection with tubing.
[0015] The elements of the described invention are the rotor, the
holding-down device as well as the base plate being shaped as a
planar fluidic system in most cases. Different embodiments of the
individual modules are however possible.
[0016] The rotor can be shaped as a thin disc, as shown in FIG. 6,
or as a higher structure, as shown in FIG. 7, with integrated
channels or other fluidic functions (11). For simplicity in
manufacturing, the rotor consists preferentially of polymer
materials. Materials with good sealing properties and low slip
effect are advantageous in order to facilitate a simple rotary
motion without distortion of structures located inside the rotor.
The rotor can either be composed completely out the appropriate
material, can carry a thin coating, or can be assembled out of a
hard and a soft, sealing component. FIG. 8 shows the embodiment
where the rotor is composed of two different materials. Here, the
first material (12) forms the upper part of the rotor with which
for instance the actuator of the turning valve makes contact. The
second material (13) acts as the bottom part of the rotor providing
the contact to the base plate. Independent of the embodiments of
the rotor, structures (10) are integrated on the side being termed
"top side" in the following which serve as counter structures for a
tool (actuator of a turning valve, (5)). The bottom side contains
fluid structures (11), which serve as a switch for liquids or
gases.
[0017] Structural elements protruding from the plane of the top
side and a corresponding indentation on the counterpart allow for a
specific rotation of the rotor and for a determination of the
precise position through a mechanical stop. In this case, different
embodiments can be realized. FIG. 9 displays an embodiment with a
protrusion on the top side of the rotor (14) in part A of the
figure and a guide-structure with locking element (15) in the
holding-down device in part B of the figure, which shows an
assembly of rotor and holding-down device. In FIG. 10 the
guide-structure is located inside the holding-down device, part A
of the figure, and the protrusion inside the holding-down device
(17), part B of the figure. FIG. 11 displays the variant with the
protrusion (14) in the bottom side of the rotor, figure part A, and
the guide-structure in the base plate, part B of the figure.
Guide-structures in the bottom side of the rotor and protrusion in
the mounting plate are an additional embodiment, as shown in FIG.
12.
[0018] FIG. 13 displays embodiments of fluidic structures (20)
which can be implemented in the bottom side of the rotor for the
connection of channels or the metering of volumes.
[0019] FIG. 14 offers options for a counter structure (21) for the
actuator of the turning valve, in order to place this structure in
or on the rotor and, thereby, to facilitate a rotation.
[0020] FIG. 15 shows a grip (22) on the rotor, in order to allow
for a precise manual motion of the rotor.
[0021] FIG. 16 depicts a disc-shaped embodiment of the rotor which
contains structures on the top side as well as on the bottom side.
In this embodiment, different levels of a fluidic system can be
interconnected in a controlled manner. In this embodiment, the
rotor can be realized either out of a single or out of a
combination of materials and can be coated completely or
partly.
[0022] Polymeric materials for example can be utilized for the
complete rotor. Especially suited are polymers such as Viton,
Teflon, polypropylene, or polyethylene or materials with similar
properties. Additional polymers or those mentioned before can be
used in combination with a layer which has a sealing contact to the
fluidic system. Alternative options are combinations of several
materials. For instance, a harder component is capped with the
sealing layer. In order to obtain a rotor being both robust and
tightly sealing, an embodiment utilizing more than one material can
be conveniently realized by injection molding using polymers as
material. A well-known technical process to manufacture such
structures is a multi-component injection-molding where several
components can be molded sequentially in a single process. As a
result, no assembly is required for such a rotor.
[0023] In order to improve the properties of the valve, it is
generally an option to coat the rotor on the sealing side faced to
the fluidic system, but also the counterpart to the rotor, the
fluidic system, can be coated. The coating can be applied either to
both sides or to just one of the sides. In order to change the
fluidic behavior of liquids in the system, coatings in question can
be used to either improve the sealing properties of the components,
their turning properties, or to utilize more hydrophobic or
hydrophilic characteristics.
[0024] The holding-down device can be designed as a kind of cap
which covers the rotor and then is connected firmly to the fluidic
system. Alternatively, the holding-down device can be a kind of
plate, which is connected to the fluidic system with its full
surface.
[0025] Both kinds of holding-down device can be supplemented with
additional springs or the holding-down device itself can provide an
intrinsic tension--for example by a special design of the molded
part during injection molding.
[0026] Against this background, FIG. 17 provides a possible
embodiment of the holding-down device and the base plate in which
the holding-down device is shaped as a cap and both the cap and the
base plate bear a screw thread (23). The thread provides a tight
junction of cap and mounting plate as well as a sufficient contact
pressure for the rotor. In this structure, junctions (28) from the
base plate to the counter structures for the bottom side of the
rotor are clearly visible which are part of most embodiments of the
described invention. As illustrated here as well, these junctions
are usually in contact to additional fluidic systems (4) of the
base plate.
[0027] FIG. 18 displays the option of mechanical support structures
(24), which can also be used for adhesive bonding or welding.
[0028] The application of protruding pins (25) for clamping is an
additional option for the fixation of the holding-down device on
the base plate. As shown in FIG. 19, the protruding pins can also
be made from more flexible material.
[0029] The initial tension, which will be generated by a cap or a
second plate, as it is displayed in FIG. 2, can be enhanced by
introduction of an integrated spring (26) in the cap shown in FIG.
20 or by a top plate. In order to enhance the initial tension and
the seal effect accordingly, an additional spring (27) can be
inserted alternatively, as shown in FIG. 21.
[0030] Thereby the system can be designed in the following way:
[0031] 1. The base plate with fluidic structures, on which the
rotor and the holding-down device are mounted. In this case, the
rotor is placed on the counter structure in the base plate as a
seal. An exemplified embodiment is shown in FIG. 1.
[0032] 2. A system, in which the holding-down device is tightly
connected with the base plate via a thread, as described in
paragraph 1. This is exemplarily shown in FIG. 17.
[0033] 3. A system, as described in paragraph 1, in which the
holding-down device is tightly clamped, welded, bonded, or
connected via a different method to the plate. In this scenario,
FIG. 18 provides an embodiment.
[0034] 4. A system, as described in paragraphs 1-3, in which the
plate itself is connected to other fluidic systems, as shown
schematically in FIG. 5.
[0035] 5. A system, as described in paragraphs 1-4, in which the
rotor contains cavities with defined volumes being appropriate for
the metering of liquids.
[0036] 6. A system, as described in paragraphs 1-5, in which the
rotor consists of a single material.
[0037] 7. A system, as described in paragraphs 1-6, in which the
rotor consists of two different materials, as illustrated in FIG.
8.
[0038] 8. A system, as described in paragraphs 1-6, in which the
rotor consists of both a harder and a softer material. The latter
faces the base plate with the fluidic structures and seals the
system.
[0039] 9. A system, as described in paragraphs 1-8, in which the
sealing face of the rotor facing the base plate, is additionally
coated, in order to influence the behavior of the fluid during the
introduction of liquids by e.g. modified hydrophobic/hydrophilic or
lipophilic properties.
[0040] 10. A system, as described in paragraphs 1-8, in which the
sealing face of the base plate with the fluidic system facing to
the rotor, is additionally coated, in order to influence the
behavior of the fluid during the introduction of liquids by e.g.
modified hydrophobic/hydrophilic or lipophilic properties.
[0041] 11. A system, as described in paragraphs 1-8, in which the
sealing face of the rotor facing the base plate, as well as the
contact area of the base plate are additionally coated, in order to
influence the behavior of the fluid during the introduction of
liquids by e.g. modified hydrophobic/hydrophilic or lipophilic
properties.
[0042] 12. A system, as described in paragraphs 1-11, in which
additional components are introduced into the fluidic structures or
in the material of the rotor or in the fluidic system, which will
be dissolved during the usage. This could be reagents, which modify
the surface, or dried buffer components, antibodies, enzymes,
catalysts, or reaction mixtures.
[0043] 13. A system, as described in paragraphs 1-12, in which the
rotor contains a structure, which can be used for the plug in of
the counterpart for manual or automatic operation that is to say
rotation of the rotor, as schematically shown in FIG. 14.
[0044] 14. A system, as described in paragraphs 1-13, in which the
rotor contains marks that allow for a visual recognition of the
position of the rotor on a plate with the fluidic system or on the
holding-down device by either the form of the structure for the
plug in of the counterpart or additional marks on the rotor. Here,
a variant of structures is schematically shown in FIG. 14 A as an
indentation on the rotor.
[0045] 15. A system, as described in paragraphs 1-14, in which a
holding-down device expresses a form of coping.
[0046] 16. A system, as described in paragraphs 1-15, in which the
rotor possesses an extension on the far side with respect to the
fluidic system, in order to be able to rotate the rotor manually,
as shown in FIG. 9.
[0047] 17. A system, as described in paragraphs 1-16, in which the
rotor contains a structure with a counter structure in the cap on
the far side with respect to the base plate, in order to reach a
defined position of the rotary valve by the usage of a mechanical
stop, as exemplarily shown in FIG. 10.
[0048] 18. A system, as described in paragraphs 1-15, in which the
rotor contains a structure facing the base plate, which possesses a
counter structure in the base plate that restricts the rotation in
a way that a defined position of the rotary valve will be reached
by the usage of a mechanical stop. One embodiment is schematically
shown in FIG. 11.
[0049] 19. A system, as described in paragraphs 1-18, in which the
holding-down device is formed as a planar structure, as depicted in
FIG. 3.
[0050] 20. A system, as described in paragraphs 1-19 where the
holding-down device is a planar element containing fluidic
structures, as shown in FIG. 4.
[0051] 21. A system, as described in paragraphs 1-20, which is
assembled out of different planar elements containing several
rotors whereby the planar elements act as holding-down devices as
shown in FIG. 4.
[0052] 22. Systems, as described in paragraphs 1-21, in which the
holding-down device is supplied by an additional spring, as it is
shown in FIG. 21.
[0053] 23. Systems, as described in paragraphs 1-22, in which the
holding-down device contains integrated spring components, as it is
shown in FIG. 20.
[0054] 24. Systems, as described in paragraphs 1-23, in which the
rotor contains integrated spring elements.
[0055] 25. Systems, as described in paragraphs 1-24, which are made
from plastics.
[0056] 26. Systems, as described in paragraphs 1-24, which are made
from metal.
[0057] 27. Systems, as described in paragraphs 1-24, which are made
from glass.
[0058] 28. Systems, as described in paragraphs 1-24, which are made
from ceramic.
[0059] 29. Systems, as described in paragraphs 1-24, which are made
from a combination of different materials such as plastics, metal,
glass, and ceramic.
[0060] As a general rule for the present invention, all processes
described for the usage of liquids are synonymously valid for gases
and a combination of liquid and gaseous substances is possible as
well, for instance the targeted delivery of gases in liquid.
[0061] Likewise, the systems do not have to be applied necessarily
in the position reported here. It is also possible to turn, for
instance, the systems through 90.degree. or 180.degree. and hence
they can be utilized in all possible positions.
* * * * *